


Conversations Overheard

by spindleofaspinningwheel



Category: Major Crimes (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-23 20:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16166120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spindleofaspinningwheel/pseuds/spindleofaspinningwheel
Summary: Set during season 2 - D.O.A. and then going beyond. Sharon overhears a conversation about "Good Old Jack Raydor" and starts to stress over the increasing intertwining of her personal and professional life.  Especially in how those worlds seem to be evolving and colliding when it comes to other members of the team. ... This began as a prompt request for Sharon overhearing a conversation pre-Shandy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Conversations Overheard ******

 

_"Good Old Jack Raydor," he mused. Provenza rolled his eyes at his partner in disgust. "What?" Andy asked with a shrug, "I liked him."_

* * *

After verifying the Lieutenant from Hollywood was acting out the order of their superior officer Provenza slid his phone into his back pocket. Together he and his partner questioned the witness who had just returned from his unsuccessful ambulance ride with the victim. The other members of the team gathered evidence and statements, trying to get the scene wrapped up so they could continue the investigation elsewhere.

Provenza thanked Doctor Field for his attempts at resuscitating the victim, and simultaneously rescued him from his partner's never ending blood pressure medication questions. Directing the conversation back to the present he dismissed the doctor, asking that he stay available for further questioning in the days to come. As the doctor left, Julio approached the Lieutentants with the collection of phony licenses he had uncovered from the vehicle. As they shuffled through the cards Provenza let out a sigh, if the location of the crime had not shot it up the pipeline to Major Crimes, the multiple identities and victim's subsequent death would have definitely raised some alarm. He took the evidence and watched the younger man head off to collect a few more statements from the crowd.

Provenza took the opportunity to turn to his partner, "How can you have even been serious earlier? Really? Good old, Jack Raydor? Do you even remember that asshole?"

Andy shrugged, "What? He always seemed fun."

"Seemed, being the operative word there," Provenza pointed out. "And what has changed your tune? I have had to listen to you on and off for years discuss how much the Captain deserved something better? How sad it was that she appeared to be holding on to something that was never going to be?" Andy didn't respond. He simply turned back to the crime scene. The additional officers were still holding the perimeter to keep the press back to a respectable distance, allowing the squad to continue to collect any remaining evidence. "Hmm?" His partner pressed.

Andy groaned, "Well, yeah, I mean I know he's an ass. Don't you think I, of all people, know that?" He turned back to his partner and waved a hand in the air, "Yeah, I know he's an ass, I spent more than one night out with him lamenting on our mutual woes. I may have even joined in, maybe even coaxing him and agreeing with him, at the time, that his witch of a wife had it out for him. But, now? Now, I have changed. Maybe he has too. She's waited this long, maybe he's back. If nothing else I know that it was all shit back then, I was a shit too. I see how much she cares about her family. How she obviously wanted the fairy tale. She deserves it. Maybe this is how that can happen for her."

A little uneasy with the emotional turn of the conversation Provenza scrunched his nose in disgust, "Ye' Gods man. Pull yourself together. You changed yeah, but according to the grapevine that piece of work is still living it up in Vegas. He cleaned her out back then, and I'm sure he's back now to do just that. Vegas is pricy, especially when you have a gambling problem. He is probably here to just butter her up, play to her heart, and then leave her again. If you cared at all you would at the very least be a friend and make sure she has someone there to talk to when it all inevitably comes crashing down. You definitely won't be reminiscing on the good old days with your buddy, Jack. Besides he wasn't that good of a friend then anyway if I remember correctly."

"I know, that was a long time ago. We have already said that things change. She obviously isn't the witch, and he is no prince charming."

Provenza chuckled, "That he definitely is not. Be careful, she hears you saying stuff about witchiness she may send you to a training just for old times sake."

Andy smiled at the joke, "Yeah, those were the good old days. Gosh, it was fun to get her all riled up. Looking back I don't know how she didn't just shoot me. Who would have thought we would one day be here."

"Yeah, let's end this trip down memory lane. I don't think I can listen to you recall all of your favorite fights, they were weird enough to witness back then." Provenza gave a skived out shiver to prove his point, "Although, I think it may be worse now with you following her around constantly and forcing everyone to be kind to her."

The two stood in silence, letting the conversation hang in the air between them. Andy held back from responding. He merely smirked back at his partner, not wanting to reveal anything more about the evolution of his feelings toward their Captain. Thinking back to everything they had discussed he knew his partner was right. Jack was bad news, and he needed to play it cool to keep personal histories out of the Murder Room.

Noticing Andy lost in his own thoughts, Provenza shook off the moment and slapped his partner on the shoulder, "Let's get this wrapped up. You take Buzz along to check out the victim's apartment. I will take Sykes with me after I update the Captain. Have everyone meet back up in the Murder Room mid morning." Andy nodded in acknowledgment and stalked off toward Buzz.

"Now, don't go around moping like wounded puppy all day," he called after his retreating power we. "We still have a job to do, no matter who is in town or not."

Andy waved a hand in his direction, ending any further discussion. "Buzz, you and your camera are with me," he called out as he reached his vehicle.

Provenza pulled his phone out from his back pocket to see that the screen was still open to the recent calls tab. He tapped the top name, "Captain Sharon Raydor." The line immediately went to voicemail; he looked down at the screen in confusion. He had just spoken to her on that line. Scrolling down he read through the outgoing calls:

_"Captain Sharon Raydor - Mobile"_  
"Captain Sharon Raydor - Mobile"  
"Captain Sharon Raydor - Home"  
"Captain Sharon Raydor - Mobile"

His breath caught, he had called her mobile earlier in the evening. After that number had gone directly to her voicemail he had clicked on the home phone option. That is when Jack had answered, inevitably adding a whole new layer to the rest of the day. Provenza knew he hadn't called her a third time in that sequence. He shook his head; it must have been some kind of a phone glitch. "Technology, no matter how many updates it isn't perfect," he thought to himself as he tapped the screen to call the Captain at home once again.

"Ahh, Captain..."

\-----

Back at the condo, Sharon was still reeling from Jack's middle of the night arrival. Yes, he was her husband, and sure he did have a key, but that did not change the fact that he did not live with her. Furthermore, he was not exactly welcome. Especially, only hearing very little from him over the last few years, and having absolutely no warning that he was planning a visit today.

After hanging up with Provenza, she had ushered Rusty back to his room, promising a more detailed explanation in the morning, and had shown Jack to the couch. She ignored her estranged husband's hints about "his age", "his back", and the "size of the couch", by simply replying that he could always find a hotel that would suit his needs. He quieted quickly and allowed her to return to her room, alone, without further complaint.

Now alone in her room, Sharon paced the floor in an attempt to calm her rising ire. Not only had Jack shown up unannounced, but he had also answered her home phone. While she could deal with him here, she had no plans of introducing her marriage issues into the lives of anyone else. Her Lieutenant now knew more about her personal life than she was comfortable with, and Rusty had been awoken in the middle by a strange man in his home. The boy had reacted appropriately, but she knew that was also going to be a long discussion later in the day. It was easy enough to explain away an absent spouse, but Jack in all of his bravado could con anyone into believing he was just the fun guy who had been wronged in life.

She could scream. She wouldn't do it now, but she could. It was only a matter of time before he showed back up, but why did it have to be now? Sharon plopped down heavily on the end of her bed and threw her head back. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment replaying the events of the evening. Leave it to Jack Raydor to show up in the most inconvenient manner and throw her life into a potential spiral. Once again he proved that he had the most impeccable timing. He seemed to have the uncanny ability to detect the exact moment she was feeling settled in her life, and then to show up and shake everything up.

Determined to not let Jack "win" this one she opted to just stay the course. She would be strong, give him his two nights, and then send him on his way. There was no need to change their arrangement. No reason to start anything, good or bad. He wouldn't be around long enough, and wasn't worth the effort. She would just 'kill him with kindness' and hope for the best. It had been decades since she had entertained any idea of him being a true partner in her life, so now her sense of dedication to her God and love of her children was the only thing allowing that man to stay anywhere near her and her home.

Sharon stood swiftly, deciding to ignore the Jack situation until later, and for now to just start the day. The Lieutenant would be calling back at some point to update her on the case; she may as well get a head start on it by showering and getting ready. Maybe she would pick up coffee and bagels for the team on her way in. It would be the perfect time for a caffeine and carb pick-me-up for them after being out on Mulholland all night. The fallout from the early morning rollout would definitely result in a longer than average day for everyone. She would more than likely be forgoing her normal breakfast tea for at least one cup of coffee herself, maybe two.

Half an hour later she had taken a quick shower, was dressed for work, and was attempting to do her hair. Over the sound of the blow dryer she heard the home phone ringing once again. She quickly cut off the power to the dryer to listen. Another ring had her running across the room from her en suite to her bedside table. She was able to grab the landline before it rang again, and before Jack decided to take it upon himself to answering, again. Upon verifying the caller ID she answered the phone.

"Ahh, Captain we -" Provenza began.

"Good evening again, Lieutenant," she interrupted. "It is alright now, but is there a reason you are not calling my cell phone this evening?"

"Um, well, Captain, I tried but the phone went directly to voicemail both times," he explained. "So, in lieu of sending a uniform to your building, I decided to use your home number." Sharon pressed the cordless phone between her ear and shoulder as she searched the bedside table for iPhone. She remembered plugging it in and placing it on the table prior to going to sleep last night, but it was not there. At least she thought she had plugged it in, but a quick scan of the empty table and the surrounding floor showed her that indeed her phone was missing.

As the Lieutenant continued to detail the case she got down on her knees to peek under the bed. Luckily, or unluckily as it turns out, she found it under the bed. It had apparently fallen off the table, pulling itself away from the charger at some point during the evening. She rolled her eyes and reached out to grasp her phone. Since it had been off of the charger it also had no charge, which explained what the Lieutenant had said about the voicemail. This was definitely turning into one of her least favorite days to date. As she plugged the phone back into the charger she heard a cough on the other side of the line.

"Oh, yes sorry Lieutenant. Sounds like you have everything in motion. I will meet you all back at the Murder Room. Please keep me updated on any changes. My cell will be back on line for the rest of the morning. So there will be no more need to call this line. I apologize for not being more accessible this evening."

"No need to apologize, Captain. It happens." Provenza paused, not really wanting to address the last phone call, but deciding to offer at least some support, "Um, take some time to get everything situated over there. We will see you shortly."

"Yes, Lieutenant. See you then." Sharon ended the call and dropped her head to her chest. Definitely a coffee type of morning, maybe even the whole pot.

A ding alerted her that her phone had at least woken up enough to begin charging. She glanced down at the screen and saw a number of missed calls; one from Jack and three from Lieutenant Provenza, as well as a couple voicemails from the Lieutenant.

Sharon unlocked her phone to clear the notifications. Already knowing the reasons for each of the calls she wanted to make sure to clear the red circle off of the phone icon. It was one of those things that annoyed her, having the red alert seemingly screaming at her for attention. She clicked the recents tab to clear that and then over to the voicemail tab. Just as she was about to delete the messages she noticed that they appeared to be much longer than the normal fifteen second or so update. Curiously she pressed speaker and then the symbol of the triangle to play the messages.

"Good old Jack Raydor?" came the muffled voice of Provenza, followed quickly by Flynn's confusion and subsequent clarification of the question. Before paying too much attention to the content she smiled to herself, realizing the Lieutenant must have once again pocket dialed her. However, her amusement quickly turned to embarrassment as she realized what the two men were discussing.

She ran her hand through her hair as Andy described his early friendship with her husband. She did not want to be listening in on this conversation, she should not be listening to this conversation, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. Sharon was slightly upset that her team was discussing her personal life, but a part of her was curious enough that she couldn't just turn it off without knowing what they were saying.

As Sharon continued to effectively eavesdrop, she shook her head for a moment wondering how she could pretend she had not heard their exchange. A sad chuckle did escape her lips when the older Lieutenant had uttered the term friend, showing the fact that the two men did seem to care about her. However, the personal nature of the discussion was still humiliating. And as she continued to listen there was a something about the way Flynn described her that she could not quite handle. Something in his defense of her, that made her feel a little uneasy. This was definitely going to be a day. "Good old, Jack Raydor indeed," she sighed to herself as she stood to finish getting ready. Yes, definitely a whole pot of coffee would be needed to get through today. No question.

Just to insure she wouldn't have to deal with the two of them too soon she unlocked her phone one more time. She typed out a quick text. "Lieutenant, please have Julio meet Rios and I at the morgue once the scene is cleared." There, that would buy her some time.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Sharon closed her bedroom door quietly, resting her forehead against the frame. She could hear Jack boisterously greeting their son on the phone, and she smiled softly to herself. When he was on, he was on. Pity he only worked under ultimatums, but at least that was something. The kids deserved something.

Taking a step back she turned to face her room with her hands clasped together in front of her. Yesterday's outfit was still laying out on the chair in the corner, the towel from her brief moment home to clean up and change clothes still was hanging on the bathroom door handle. The last 48 hours had indeed been a whirlwind; Jack was back, she had overhead a conversation that made her cringe, Rusty had lost all of his toothpicks in a game of poker, and the team had caught a ghost. Sure, not too much more than a typical day at the office, it had just been more emotionally draining than normal. Jack's presence alone would have been exhausting. Never mind everything else, the normal day in and day out stuff.

A muffled chime drew her out of her thoughts, alerting her to a new text message. She crossed the room to dig her phone out of her purse.

" _Andrea: A little birdie told me you had a guest."_

Sharon read the message twice and groaned. She did have a guest: a large, loud, and uninvited guest.

" _Sharon: As a matter of fact I do. Scared the crap out of Rusty the other night. He was about to attack Jack with a lamp..."  
_ " _Andrea: And you stopped him?"  
"Sharon: It did take a great deal of restraint... Jack answered the phone though when Provenza called about the case."  
_" _Andrea: Well, that's an update. How did that go?"_  
"Sharon: Fine. That is until the Lieutenant butt dialed me later and I heard him and Andy discussing it..."  
"Andrea: Oh, so he's Andy now?"  
"Sharon: Stop."  
"Andrea: Sounds to me like you need a night out."  
"Sharon: Not with Jack here. I don't want him getting too close to Rusty. That will only end in trouble."  
"Andrea: True... What if Buzz needs to help him study? Could you come for a couple of hours?"

Sharon sat down on the side of her bed, contemplating the logistics of that idea. She stared down at her phone as she weighed her options. She really did not know how she felt about everything: Jack, the team, Rusty. As nice as a night out with her friend sounded, she did not think she was ready to talk about all of the events that had occurred since Jack's return. She was not sure how she felt about Jack these days, or if she was truly alright with how everything in her life was muddling together at the moment. It was fine when Jack was a distant idea, but now that he was here, in her home, things were going to need to be addressed.

" _Andrea: You are not getting out of this Sharon. I just texted Buzz, he will take Rusty out for burgers. They will go over his tutoring stuff or go see a movie."_

She fell back against the headboard and slowly exhaled as she read her friend's text. Realizing she was going no matter what, she replied,

" _Sharon: Fine."  
"Andrea: Great! Gavin will pick you up tomorrow at 7."_

Sharon dropped the phone to her side and looked up at the ceiling and repeated, "Tomorrow."

—

Gavin held the restaurant door open for Sharon as she walked in and scanned the area for their friend. The waiting area was full, but not overly crowded with a bar set up just beyond the host stand. Andrea waved them over from a high top table in the corner of the bar area.

"Hello, darling." Gavin greeted as he kissed Andrea's cheek and pulled out the chair for Sharon.

Sharon smiled at the other woman as she took her seat, "Thanks for getting the table. This is a lovely place, and it's really pretty crowded this evening."

Andrea waved her hand in the air, "Oh it was no problem. I know the manager, so it was easy to get in. I am so glad you were able to find the time to join us."

Sharon rolled her eyes before looking pointedly at Andrea, "Well it is not that I did not want to come. Things just feel a little bit, um, unstable at the moment. As much as I love you both, I am a little nervous about being away from my home right now."

"Yes, good old Jackie is back," Gavin crooned. "You would think after all of these years he would at least have the decency to not barge into your home in the middle of the night. He's lucky you didn't shoot him."

Sharon smirked at the man, "Oh believe me, I was ready. Actually, I guess it is a good thing he answered my phone. Otherwise I wouldn't have recognized his voice, I am not entirely sure how that would have gone."

Andrea waved to the waitress and indicated that they were ready for their drinks, before turning her attention back to the table, "Yes. It would have been poor Jack taken down in not-his kitchen with the gun or the lamp."

Sharon dropped her head into her hands, "That sounds like a bad game of Clue... ugh. He does have a knack for making his visits _memorable_."

"Indeed," Gavin agreed. The conversation was put on pause as the waitress delivered their wine glasses and uncorked a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for the table. The trio smiled in thanks as the woman left to attend to her other tables. Gavin lifted his glass and slowly swirled the liquid, "So what is Jackie in town for now? Obviously cash, but did he lose his car? His home? Or are the bookies after him again?"

Despite herself Sharon left out a light chuckle, "I don't know about any of that, but he did somehow get himself on the court appointed attorney list -"

"Oh no," interrupted Andrea. "So he's staying? And we are all going to have to deal with him?"

Sharon exhaled, "Yes. We are all going to have to _deal_ with him, but I am currently the only one having to deal with him on my couch." Her friends gave her sympathetic looks as she continued, "I don't know why this always happens. Well, I guess I know why. I still wish he could be the old Jack. The one I married. I see glimpses... then I end up feeling sorry for him. Even though he has done it all to himself. I mean, I know it takes two for things to fall apart, but is it wrong I haven't completely given up? I just wish I could stop caring. Just when I think I have, he comes back. Then I help him, and then he leaves. Definitely not what I had imagined."

Gavin reached out and put a hand on her forearm, "Shar, it's okay to care. He was important, or is important. But honey, it has been decades. Maybe it's time to change things up. He is always going to be around, but he doesn't have to have a key to your life."

"Is it really a marriage if you almost shoot him at 3am?" Andrea reasoned. "Wait scratch that, that does seem to sound like some marriages."

Sharon smiled at her friend's joke, "I know. I know. You're both right. I mean I tucked the ring away a long time ago, but what if he is really back? Is it worth it to wait it out and see what happens? Sometimes people change."

"Sometimes," Gavin nodded in agreement. "But how many times have we thought that? And has he done anything to suggest this time is going to be different?"

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Well, he just got back. He's searching for an apartment... that is a start in the right direction."

"Well, then it is your choice, just like always, but honey you took that thing off years ago. And if he is wearing one it isn't the original. You know that one was lost in a poker tournament early on. Why are we still even flirting with the idea of a marriage? I drew up the separation agreement myself. You're the most unmarried-married person I know." Gavin looked at her with a slight twinkle to his eye, "And mind you darling, I know everyone."

Sharon laughed lightly, "True."

Taking the last sip of her wine Andrea picked up the bottle and refilled her glass before topping off the other two. "So, changing the subject to a different kind of stress... You said Jack answered the Lieutenant's call?"

"Yessss," Sharon drawled. "And that would probably have been alright. I mean not alright - alright, but alright in that I would have just waved it off as my husband was in town. Of course, that didn't end up happening. After I got everyone resettled at home and found my cell phone I noticed a voicemail from the Lieutenant." Sharon pulled her phone out of her purse and placed it on the table. "Apparently my Lieutenants had a discussion about Jack and I as they were wrapping up their end of the crime scene."

Andrea moved forward in her chair and reached for the phone, "Oh, are we going to get to listen?"

Sharon cringed and reached out to protect her phone. She had planned to share the recording, but now that the moment was here, it felt too raw. It was one thing for everyone to know Jackson was in town, it was another to have him, and by extension her, be the talk of the town. It was incredibly difficult for her to have her private life pulled out into the public, especially now that she felt so settled in with the team and everything was going so well with Rusty.

"Oh come on Shar," Gavin begged, pushing his bottom lip out to pout. "Let us hear what they had to say. And just so we are clear on the _they_ , is this a conversation between the Lieutenant and the pretty one?"

Andrea snorted into her glass as Sharon glared at Gavin, "The pretty one?"

"You know? The silver fox, the hot head, the dirtbag beater." Gavin listed as Andrea bent over onto the table laughing so hard she nearly knocked over the glasses.

"Lieutenant Flynn," Sharon stated pointedly "was, or is, the other party in this discussion, yes."

Gavin cocked on eyebrow over at Andrea, who was now sitting up again and attempting to control her amusement with even breaths, before returning his eyes to Sharon. The man lifted his glass in the air as if he was giving a toast, "Ah, there she is. Thought we lost _Her Darthness_ there for a second."

"Very funny, Gavin. But this is not really a joking matter. It's hard enough knowing that they could be talking about _my husband_ , without actually having to hear what they are saying. I mean, I would probably have been okay if they had just said Jack was an ass and then gone on with their morning. But then Andy started defending him? That felt strange to hear. However, then he started defending me, I guess, or they both did, in a way. That is what felt even stranger." She dropped her gaze to her fingers as they twirled the stem of her wine glass. After a moment she sighed, "According to the voicemail, Andy seems to think I was after a fairytale, and then he also went on to say something about Jack being no Prince Charming. Obviously, that part is accurate."

Her two friends stopped their teasing. Andrea turned calmly to Sharon, "When did he say that? Or I mean, how? How did he say that?"

Sharon reached for her phone once again and entered her passcode. She placed the phone back on the table and looked between Gavin and Andrea, "Here. I didn't delete the message."

The pair held the phone in the air between them; their ears close to try to listen over the sounds of the restaurant. Sharon watched their expressions change from at first casually listening, to then listening very intently as the discussion between the Lieutenants got more serious. Andrea looked back at her friend with soft eyes as she heard Andy discuss how people could change, and that the Captain deserved a happy ending. Sharon looked away, feeling even more uncomfortable now that her friends were in on the story.

When the phone was set back on the table Sharon turned glossy eyed back to her friends. "See," she stared. "It's not just the fact that Jack is back. I can handle Jack. It's everything else. It's him, it's work, it's Rusty, it's..."

"Life," Gavin interrupted her. "It's life my dear. And for the first time in a while it's not fitting nicely into your neat little boxes." Sharon placed both of her hands on the edge of table, bit down on her bottom lip, and stared into her wine glass. Gavin reach across the table and gently tapped her hand, "Sharon, there is nothing wrong with any of that. Not even you can control everything. Every now and then life throws you a curve ball. No matter how well you compartmentalize - and we all know you are a queen when it comes to that - sometimes life gets messy."

Sharon sighed and looked back at her friends, "Oh, I am well aware of life's ability to be messy. I've done messy. I can do messy. I just, This is just," she gestured down to the phone. "This is just almost too much. It was fine when they were yelling, fine when I was on the other side, or just above their reach. It was fine when it was just speculation. I could ignore rumors, but this. This is two people who once could not care less, now all of the sudden caring a lot. And Andy, Andy?" She stopped to make eye contact with each of them. "Yes, we work together. He's a great asset to the team, but I wouldn't expect this. He used to go out with Jack. I knew they drank together. I was sure I was the subject of a conversation of two. I had a feeling he fed the grapevine with rumors about my crumbling marriage and cold heart. But, he was never stupid enough to bring that into an argument, into an investigation. Sure he seemed to enjoy pushing me to the brink, but it never got personal. Everything was different back then, or it is different now, I am different now. Andy is not the same person either; he has been sober for about the same length of time we have been separated. He has clearly changed." She looked up at her friends, "Why hasn't Jack?"

"Sweetie, no one can answer that question, probably not even Jack. No one can force someone to change either. This is just how life is playing out. Maybe it's time to embrace it." Gavin turned to Andrea as he shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe it is time to just let everything be messy again, or at least for a little while as this all plays itself out."

Andrea nodded in agreement, "Yes, Sharon. Maybe overhearing them has made you see that life can be different. We don't have to put up with things just because we made a decision when we were twenty and have to stubbornly stick with it no matter what. We do not have to keep being available for the people in our lives who do not shot us that same respect in return. It isn't fair to anyone, including yourself, if you continue to hide behind your title, your rules, and a wedding ring that you no longer wear."

Sharon looked down at her ring finger and brushed her thumb against the bare skin, "Well, I am not sure what to do at the moment, but thanks for this. Thanks for forcing me out of the house. I probably need to get back though, make sure Rusty has not beaten me home." She smiled softly up at them, "You know Jack was "teaching" Rusty how to play poker last night. Of course he was cheating. Rusty, sweet child that he is, thought it was hilarious. I'm not so sure he will think so later on though if Jack ups the stakes from toothpicks to real money."

"Toothpicks?" Andrea asked, "You would think pretzels or popcorn or something. Why would they use toothpicks?"

Sharon picked up her phone and stood before shrugging, "I guess because I had a few of them stored in the kitchen." Gavin lifting an eyebrow pushing her to further explain, "I used to take them with me to the office. They were a good substitute, or distraction, for someone when they were trying to stop smoking. I could always gauge the level of someone's anger by the number of toothpicks they grabbed at and chewed on during a meeting. I had a stockpile at home just in case."

Andrea rolled her eyes and pointed to the phone, "On that note? What are you going to say to them? Or are you just going to pretend you didn't hear any of that?"

Sharon cringed at the thought, "I don't even know. I think he noticed me partnering up with Julio more for the last case. I needed a bit of space. I'll probably just go back to our usual arrangements and go from there. Maybe he won't notice, or maybe he will, but at least he won't be pouting around the Murder Room."

"Or," Gavin tapped his finger against his chin feigning deep concentration. "Or, you could always have a bit of fun with knowing something that they don't know that you know..."

Andrea turned to Gavin, and leaned in conspiratorial to cross her arms on the table, "Oh, now that would be entertaining. She could..."

Sharon waved a hand in the air and rolled her eyes as she turned away, "You two seriously need help. Some friends..." With her back now to the table she found herself considering the idea. That could be a fun distraction from worrying about what Jack had planned.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrea overhears a conversation outside City Hall.

Andy massaged his hand into the back of his neck to relieve the building tension from the last week. As soon as one case closed they had moved right into the next. It had been another late night/early morning roll out; a critical missing of a young teen facing a very cruel world. Michelle had been missing since 7:00 the night before. A child missing for fifteen hours did not necessarily mean the worst; children did occasionally disobey their parents, or stay out past their curfews without calling. However, this time something was definitely wrong.

The timeline suggested something had occurred after Michelle had called her mother from the mall and was then nowhere to be found. Her father had described her as a ‘tomboy’ who had been diagnosed with gender identity disorder in the first grade. These unique circumstances added an extra layer to the number of people who could be out there to harm her, making the search even more pressing.  The parents had been at odds over how to proceed, but no matter what was going on their child was still missing, or worse.  The bullies, the attitude of the parents, the sometimes heartless world we live in, all were working against this sweet kid who was just trying to happily live her life.

After leaving the Brand home Andy had opted to walk down to the district attorney’s office to update Rios, rather than just updating her with a phone call.  The walk would not take that much longer and he was going to stop off for fresh coffee from the café at the corner. The walk would also help to clear his head, hopefully giving him the chance to think through what they had uncovered so far.

As he neared the building he looked up to see a familiar form a few paces ahead of him; Jack Raydor in a suit and tie, carrying his briefcase, climbing the steps. Andy dropped his head back and sighed sarcastically to himself, “As if this day couldn’t get any better.”  Andy slowed as he sent out a silent prayer to whoever could be listening, hoping that the man would not turn around. He returned his eyes the path in front of him, just as Jack reached the door. The man twisted his head to see if there was anyone behind him he needed to hold the door open for before stopping to turn all of the way around. A crooked grin spread across his face as he caught a glimpse of his old friend a couple steps behind.

“ _Shit_ ,” Andy muttered under his breath as the other man let the door close on itself without entering the building.

“Why if it isn’t my old pal, Andrew Flynn.” Jack drawled slyly. He took a step toward the man and held out his hand.

Andy stood firmly, making no move to shake the man’s hand. “Jack,” he choked out through gritted teeth. “Heard you were back in town.”

Jack pulled his hand back to his side and with a small flourish retorted, “Yes. Staying with Sharon and the kid. Of course, she wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Andy bit down on the inside of his cheek in attempt not to snap back at the man’s overly cheery response. “Rusty said something about that the other day,” he reasoned instead. “Something about a couple nights on the couch?”

Jack’s smile faltered slightly as he loosely balled up one of his hands into a fist before tucking it into his pocket. “Yes, figured the kid needed his own room. I did not want to disrupt his routine. School is important after all. You know lots of studying. Went over a bit of Shakespeare with him last night even.”

Andy cringed at the picture of domesticity his old friend was painting. He knew this was not the whole story, but it was hard not to react. “So, what brought you back to LA?” He asked. “It’s been a few years since we had heard anything about you around here. Vegas finally lose its charm?”

Jack cut his eyes at the lieutenant, but kept a smile plastered to his face, “Well, just thought it would be a good time to settle down, check in on things out here. Right my wrongs and all of that.”

“Or you heard about your wife’s new position? Hoped it came with a raise?” Andy questioned. “Took you long enough. It has been over a year. Your connections must be slipping out here, _old pal_.”

The fist in his pocket tightened as he took a small step forward, “Well, it may have taken a little bit longer to get me the information, but I’m reading you pretty well right now. What has changed so that you feel the need to step in and go after me? Seems like you’re getting a little defensive there Flynn. I’m thinking it must be something. The Andy I knew was not really on good terms with _my_ wife.” 

“Listen buddy,” Andy bit out as he too took a step forward and pointed at the man. “I am the first one to recognize people change. I know what it takes to create such a mess that you lose everything. I said a lot back then. You did too, but hey, after I got my head on straight and started thinking clearly? I realized it was not the world out to get me. That I had to take some responsibility for the part I was playing in my relationships. I owe a lot of people for their faith and their patience back then. The Captain is one of those people. So, yeah, thankfully the terms have changed.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “You’re still an arrogant hot headed ass, people don’t change completely. I can still see it, I am sure others can too.”

“That may be true, but I work on it every day. And I can admit that I have my own issues. I can see that I contributed to many of the things we complained about back then. I’ve been making amends. Trying to make it right. My own family is still reluctant, but it’s a process. My wife didn’t wait around like yours did - and she shouldn’t have - I didn’t deserve it. Neither did you, but that’s what you got. And you still don’t seem to see that for the gift that was. I would do anything to have my ex-wife and kids trying to talk to me, wanting me to be around. Meanwhile, you have spent decades avoiding yours and they still seem to hold out hope for you.”

“They just love me more. Could never keep Sharon away. No matter what I did.” Jack goaded back. “Was never as damaged as you were, I guess. Karma and all that must have been on my side. Still seems to be working in my favor. I haven’t been turned away, haven’t had to return my key." 

The tension between the men had almost reached a tipping point. Andy had struck a nerve, no matter how cool Jack tried to seem and he was sniping back in return. For his part Andy was angry and exhausted. It was taking everything he had not to forget about everything else and unleash on the man. Although, before he could say or do anything more about the situation, the men were startled back to reality by the sound of a folder dropping to the ground. The sound echoed under the concrete awning, giving each of them a moment to remember their surroundings.

“We’ll see, Jack,” Andy exhaled. “I hope for everyone’s sake that you are working the program and that you are genuinely here to stay. Your family deserves that much. I mean if you’re here for them, like you keep saying.”

The other man turned and reached out for the handle. Without looking back he pulled the door open for himself again, “You just stick to your own business, and leave my life and my family to me Flynn. Sounds to me like you’re getting a little too chummy with everyone. May be time for certain people to remember who is who in this scenario.” With that he stepped through the door without holding it open behind him. 

Andy stood alone on the steps silently seething. He reached his left hand up to his ear lobe in an effort to calm his rising blood pressure. “Such an ass,” he breathed out to no one, shaking off the encounter. He stretched his neck from side to side and returned to his original task of updating Rios.

On the other side of the covered entry Andrea bent over to retrieve her fallen paper work. She was livid after overhearing the conversation between the two men. This whole ordeal was more than anyone had bargained for. Plus, the fact that her friend was the topic of yet another conversation between some of the men in her life was aggravating to say the least. Sharon had waited, but she was not waiting. She did not need her husband in her life; she had just not dealt with him yet. She had not had to. She also did not need anyone to come riding in to defend her, especially to Jack. Knowing her friend, she probably would also not be too keen to have her lieutenant getting involved either.

Andrea groaned as she too entered the building. She caught a glimpse of the elevator doors closing on Jack, heading to upstairs to try for an appointment. She glanced up and saw Andy rounding the top of the staircase in the direction of Rios’ office. At least there would be no more interaction between the two of them today. She made a mental note to send a message to Sharon about the altercation when she returned to her office. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, but other times it was nice to at least have a heads up.

—

“ _Andrea: I forgot to text you yesterday. I saw Jack down at the courthouse yesterday morning.”_  

Sharon rolled her eyes as she read the message. It had been a very long day, and she had just gotten home from the cemetery with Rusty. The case had been emotionally draining, and then putting on a happy face for their picnic at Hollywood Forever had done even more to wear her out. Jack’s insistence on playing the happy family was becoming a bit unnerving.  She had not been lying this morning at breakfast, she was genuinely curious as to why he was taking such an interest at this point in time. Shaking off that train of thought she responded to her friend.

_“Sharon: Good. Maybe that will help him along the way to an apartment.”_  
_“Andrea: Don’t think he was assigned to anything yet. Looks like you will be dealing with him on your couch for a little longer."_  
_“Sharon: Of course.”  
_ _“Andrea: It is more than that though. He was there... Ran into Flynn.”_

Sharon ran her hand over her face and sighed before clicking the phone image to call her friend. This conversation would be a lot more productive over the phone rather than over text. As soon as the call connected she stated plainly, “Well, I haven’t heard anything from FID, and I have seen both of them since then. So, I assume it was at least a civil chat?”

“You could say that,” Andrea reasoned. “Civil in that they are both alive. Although, the location is probably the only thing though that kept at least one of them from throwing a punch.”

“Well, that’s something,” Sharon hummed as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. “Nothing too bad, right?” 

Andrea took a moment to consider the best way to summarize the confrontation between the men. “It started out a bit, um, forced. Then there were raised voices, a little yelling, and something that looked like two animals about to rip each other’s heads off.” She laughed a little at the image, “ _Men_. And they think we get emotional about things…” When Sharon merely hummed Andrea went on, “They did not know I was listening in, but at that point I decided to at least try to break their stare down. I dropped my files and that seemed to pull them back to reality. Back to the fact they were both professional adults having a very public altercation. They left after that.”

“Okay,” Sharon sighed. “Not too bad then, I guess. Thank you.”

On her side of the phone Andrea waved her hand in the air to dismiss the idea of Sharon needing to thank her. Ignoring the comment she went on, “It was a similar thread to what we heard in the voicemail, at least on Andy’s side...”

As Andrea’s voice trailed Sharon tipped her head back and groaned, “Wonderful. An argument about our personal lives on the steps of City Hall. Just the kind of thing I love for everyone to know about. This is getting unreal.” 

“Maybe they will figure out that you do not need either one of them to fight your battles,” Andrea reasoned. “Or they won’t because they are macho men with their own apparent issues.”

Sharon chuckled despite herself and repeated her friend’s earlier sentiment, “Men. Maybe we should just set them loose with on one another. Sell tickets." 

“Now there’s an idea,” Andrea laughed at the thought, happy that her friend was trying to not get upset over the event. “On a lighter note. Did you have a moment to try out Gavin’s suggestion with Flynn about what you overheard originally? Or even with Provenza for that matter? Any kind of fun distraction, I have been hoping for something, anything.”

Sharon smiled into the receiver, “No, the case was a bit tough, lots of emotions. Not super conducive to toying with those two. Although, things do seem to at least be back to normal working order with the team. As long as Jack is not in the Murder Room everything feels fine. I do think Rusty may be a little tired of our visitor though. We will see what happens with that. Jack is being a little too happy and too involved. I’m sure Rusty can sense there is an ulterior motive somewhere. I do not like that Jack is spending so much time with him. Especially since he still does not seem to want to remember his own children.”

“Well, sometimes it takes something like a new place in life to look back earnestly at what you want.” Andrea paused for a moment and when her friend did not respond she went on, “Maybe this is what is happening. Jack is Jack, but through this and his interactions with Rusty you can see the things you ignored for ease and security back then? Plus, times have changed. A decade or so ago it was safer to have the “married woman” persona to protect you from unwanted advances and evil rumors.  The culture has not changed significantly, but there has been a shift. The times are different enough that the professional excuse of staying married to someone is not as strong.” 

Sharon turned slightly and paced her room, taking a moment to process everything. “The different places in life, or their evolving definitions, reminds me of something Andy said earlier.”

When Andrea hummed Sharon began to detail the conversation...

_“A lot of murderers fall apart when they see their victims,” Andy replied as they watched the father cry over his daughter’s body._

_Sharon rolled her eyes, “Maybe you are seeing something you want to see, or that you expect to see, Lieutenant. His grief does look genuine.”_

_“Yeah, genuine,” Andy mocked, “Or it could just be that he is genuinely upset for the mess he has made and the fact that now he has to deal with it… and also not be caught.”_

_Sharon hummed in response before taking a step back, “Well, every action has its consequences, good and bad. Maybe he was trying to do the right thing, but something else stepped in and changed the trajectory of his plans. Life can be that way sometimes. You get all of your ducks lined up in a row and then, bam.” She paused and looked pensively through the small window in the door, “Everything you thought you had, gone.”_

_Andy turned his gaze from the grieving father to the Captain, “Maybe not, things aren’t necessarily just gone, bam. Maybe they are just moved to a different location or something. Like it is okay to move the ducks around? Then different things take shape out of what you already have created? Different ducks, but still there, to be put into rows. Forcing you to adapt and evolve, or to see things in new ways.”_

_Sharon paused at the idea. On the surface it was a bit confusing, but he did have a point. It also felt as though_ _they were no longer discussing the grief you could experience over the murder of your child. She remained still, staring through the window, not allowing the pull of Andy’s stare to completely break her concentration on the viewing._

_After a moment Andy sighed and turned back to the window as well, “I’ll call Mike. See if he is done with the lab tech. I will tell him we are almost done here and will meet him.”_

_“Thank you, Lieutenant.”_

_Andy took a few steps to the side to call Mike, and let him know that they were going to meet him down the hall with the father_.

“Well it does sound like good advice,” Andrea reasoned. “Definitely something to consider. Who would have thought Flynn was such the philosopher?”

 Sharon looked down at her hands, “Yes, something more to consider.”

“I am going to go ahead and let you go,” Andrea said after a moment. “I have a few things still to finish up over here and I know you have had a long day as well.”

Sharon exhaled, “Yes, I have, a few actually. Have a good evening Andrea, and thanks for the information.”

“You’re welcome, Sharon. Have a good rest of your evening.”

The line went dead and Sharon walked her phone over to her charger. She placed the phone on the bedside table and turned to get ready for bed. As she hung up her blazer she thought back to the conversation with Andy in the morgue.

After she had thanked him, she had watched him out of the corner of her eye step away to make the call. Part of her was still trying to determine the meaning behind his words, while another part was consolidating them with what she had already overheard from a few days before. Since she had taken over the division Flynn had become one of her most trusted allies; her go to when she needed back up for an interrogation, or a subtle pull back to reality.

While she was a seasoned officer, a Captain, she still had experienced a bit of a culture shock when it came to working homicides. It was definitely not like internal affairs, as Jack had pointed out earlier in the week. She had picked up on that herself very quickly. However, the transition had been made easier due to the unlikely partnership she had developed with the former bane of her professional existence. At some point the interactions had gone from arguments and mandatory seminars to helpful tips and friendly advice. Sometimes things did change, or they moved around and took on new meanings, as Andy had reasoned.

Her life was not drastically different; she had the same job, the same family, and it generally involved the same people, but they had moved around. Some people had moved into more important roles, while former key players slowly fell out of line. Key parts of her job were the same, but the tasks and titles had also changed over time. She was still around officers, many of the same ones, and instead of investigating them she was working beside them in a new way.  Yes, everything was the same, but different, and it was easy to forget that while all of these things occurred she had changed as well. She had learned to adapt and to evolve to the new situations and roles, leaving her as still herself, but different from the woman at the beginning of the journey.

Recent arrivals and events had now forced her to examine her life more than she had in years. She was looking at it through the eyes of others for the first time in a while and finally understanding what her friends and family had been trying to tell her back then. That she was not really living her life if she stayed tethered to something in the past that had not followed her to the present. That in order to live her life she had to stop worrying that she was doing something wrong if she did it for herself. She knew that her marriage was something that she had held on to for too long, but in all honesty she had not yet had a reason to end it. 

She had to stop worrying about how it looked and start worrying about how she felt about everything. She had not been living a life where it was really an issue. Now, she was truly enjoying her career, her team, her friends, and Rusty, so she could see that the old life was not going to fit in with the new one she had been creating. She had been betrayed in more ways than one, but had come out on top. Now it was time to guarantee that the happiness she had created with her children and career was not destroyed because of her embarrassment over her husband being thrown back into the mix. Jack was a part of her past and that would never go away, but he did not have to be a key player in her future.

The Lieutenant was right. Jack was an ass, but an ass who sometimes could be charming and caring. He was an ass and it was time to call his bluff, to see if he really was serious about restarting his life in Los Angeles. He would need to start by finding an apartment and proving he could do it. Then maybe they could have the long overdo discussion about the roles they would be playing in each other’s futures. The past had already been played out. She knew who she was; she just needed to know who he was today - _A changed man, or Good old Jack Raydor_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Conversations Overheard – Chapter 4**

After disposing of the torn pieces of Jack's latest nonsense into the kitchen trash she pulled open the refrigerator. Thankfully the wine bottle she had opened the other night was still there. She turned to the cabinets to secure a glad, but she stopped mid thought and set the bottle down on the counter to check on Rusty. Down the hall, his door was closed but a dim light from under the door suggested that if he was still awake he was on his computer. Deciding to not bother him this evening she returned to her original idea of a calming glass of wine, possibly even on the balcony.

She walked back to the kitchen and gathered the half full bottle of wine, her phone, and a glass from the cabinet. She slid open the door and gently closed it behind her, leaving a slight crack so she could listen for Rusty or the home phone. After she poured herself a glass of wine, she unlocked her phone and typed, " _As expected the interloper has left the building_." Sharon re read the text before sending it to her friends. Taking a breath she laid it down on the small table and sat down on the patio lounger.

She knew coming home to an empty condo was a possibility after bringing Jack in on the case. The possibility of him being unable to separate their personal lives from his professional responsibilities had been there when she had suggested he represent the witness. She also knew the potential to get inside his head would exist if he was unhelpful in handling his client's parole violations so they could then question him about the drive by and the Tahoe. All of these things were possible, she just was not one hundred percent sure which direction the interaction would take. Sure she knew Jack, but if he were truly there to do the right thing he would have been able to see the utility in helping his client. That had not occurred. He had brought their personal life into the interview room and she had no other choice but to capitalize on his mistake.

It was a risk, but even after his perceived failure he still could have come back to the house and discussed everything. He had not. Years of experience told her what to expect when it came to dealing with her husband, and the tiny glimmer of "maybe" left her as soon as she opened the door and saw the envelope on the table. She had picked it up and without reading his latest excuse tore it to pieces. Yes, it was time to address their relationship. He no longer needed to have the ability to take advantage of her; his final "one more chance" was gone.

A buzz from the table returned her attention to her cell phone. She assumed Andrea or Gavin were responding to the group message she had sent, but instead the words, " _Lt. Andy Flynn – Mobile,_ " popped up on the screen. Sharon set her wine down and sighed before sliding the bar to answer the call, "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Hi Sh-," he stopped himself. "Hello, Captain."

"Hello, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?" Sharon asked professionally, hoping to prompt a quick conversation.

"Ah, nothing," Andy stammered. "Ah, sorry. I mean. Well, I was just leaving a meeting."

"And you've been attacked? Stabbed?" Sharon interrupted, a small smile creeping across her face. "Someone from your past come back to get even? Or just to steal the leftover doughnuts?"

Andy chuckled at the unexpected response, "You could only be so lucky."

Sharon reached for her wine and took a sip before chiding, "Well, I do not seem to be having an excess of that around lately, but I guess it could turn."

"You never know," Andy mused. He heard Sharon hum on the other side of the line. "So, how are you, Captain? Bit of a day."

Sharon raised an eyebrow as she examined her wine glass, "You could say that."

"Yeah," he paused unsure of how to ask his next question. "Jack left the Murder Room in a bit of a state. Just thought I would, or, um..."

Sharon took another sip, "Yes, you could say that as well, and if you're trying to ask if he's here? I would probably say that I have suddenly lost about 220 pounds or so that I'm not going to put it back on." She laughed lightly at her attempt to keep the conversation light.

"Well," Andy chuckled into the receiver. "They say with maintenance and proper attention that is very possible, but you always have to be careful with diets in general. If you're not careful with things the weight can sneak back."

"Noted," she stated. "No, as I'm sure you had guessed, Jack being Jack, decided to stay elsewhere."

"Well, I did have a feeling," Andy replied as he neared his parked vehicle. "I'm sorry, Captain."

"Don't be. No one needs to be sorry," she stated resolutely. "I don't need anyone out there to be discussing Jack. For that matter I don't need anyone out there to be sorry about Jack, or to be sorry for me. I can handle it. I am handling it. I always do."

Andy opened his car door, placing the box of doughnuts on the dashboard before folding into his seat. "Well, then I will apologize for ever thinking otherwise, and leave it at that. If there is anyone who can handle Jack herself it would be _the_ Captain Raydor."

"Damn straight," she snorted into her glass. "And don't ever forget it. It's strange that all of the sudden people seem to think I float in on a cloud with a carpet bag just as the winds change or something, rather than just flying in on my broom."

"Touché." Andy shifted the phone, holding it between his head and shoulder so he could start his car and pull away from the church. "You would think _we_ of all people would remember that little detail. Must be age or something, some kind of selective memory deal… Or, maybe, some of us just realized your motives were not all that wicked after all."

"So, I've finally got you all right where I wanted you all along. My massive plan to lure you all into thinking I was good and on your side all to get you all to fall in line and to follow the rules," she teased. "Best plan ever."

"Well, if that was the plan then you have most definitely succeeded," Andy grinned into the phone. "You should hear Provenza these days. All of the sudden you are no longer _that woman_ who stole his job out from under him...I may have even heard him praise the deal process a time or two. You know if that was your plan it would have been fun to have had the chance to torture him a bit with it."

"Oh I can only imagine how that would have turned out. I know what the two of you are capable of when left alone for two long." She shrugged, "Besides, I couldn't afford to let you in on my plans, after all you were just as unruly in the beginning."

He smirked at her playful tone, "We are elite detectives, you know. You could have trusted me with your orders, I would have helped take down the old man."

"Oh really? You think it would have been a good idea for me to let you, with your affinity for finding bodies whenever you're left alone together for too long, work on this? No thanks. Do I need to remind you about the garages, the hoods of cars, the bath tubs..."

"How did you hear about that one?" He questioned, interrupting her list. "As I remember we were cleared very quickly by Elliot. He found no reason for further action, I mean no further action than a seminar or two on procedure."

"True, I was not involved directly that time. I was actually in New York that week." She recalled thoughtfully, "Emily was dancing in her first professional show, but when I arrived back at the office I of course reviewed everything I had missed. I was definitely glad to have been absent for that particular scheme. Sometimes it was better just to hear about them after the fact. You two did not do anything too awful, considering, but I was in an odd mood after I read through that case. It was, um, unique. I knew I should have attached something to that trinket I sent. Like a picture of Margaret Hamilton in full costume, or something."

"Wait, the figurine? That was you?" He questioned as he sat up a little straighter behind the wheel.

"Guilty."

"I blamed Buzz for that. Where would one even go to find a figure of a winged cow?" He asked recalling the morning a week later when he entered the Murder Room to find a small gift back on his desk with no note, but clearly a gag gift inside. "Talk about being sneaky."

Sharon shrugged lying back further on the chaise and laughed as she raised her wine glass into the air, "Success. Here I am, both wicked and sneaky."

"Apparently so," Andy joked, flipping on his blinker to merge onto the freeway.

She listened to the clicking sound over the phone as she her mind wandered to a couple years later. "It was a bit of a shock though, that first day. You know, you stepping in with the advice on how to identify with the victim." She paused and when his end of the line was silent she offered, "When you suggested using the victim's name. After Taylor and I pulled up to the scene the looks you all gave me suggested the worst, but then you surprised me by actually being helpful. You may not have been okay with the change, but you saw that we needed to work together to solve the case."

"Oh, yeah, well I figured if we were stuck with you then you at least needed to be useful." Andy shrugged as he grinned into the phone, "I mean for something other than your diligent note taking and your shadow like abilities."

"Ha-ha, very funny, Lieutenant," she chided. "I'm sure it was a shock for all of you to learn I actually could do more than read and write reports."

"I guess you could call it shock," Andy shrugged. "I would say we were also pleasantly surprised to learn that you were there to help and not harm. Years of experience had told us that you were not always on our side."

Trying not to let that little comment bring up uncomfortable memories of being an outsider she groaned, "I was always on your side."

"Well, uh, I mean that you were here to investigate the cases and not us." He stumbled over the words trying to make sure he did not hurt her feelings. "As you may have noticed though, we have not been in trouble in years. Obviously, you have some kind of special powers when it comes to that kind of thing."

Sharon rolled her eyes, "I definitely do not have special powers."

"Maybe not, but you do have a knack for knowing how to utilize everyone's individual skillsets to take on the tasks at hand." Andy was trying not to make the conversation too awkward, but he did want her to know he was being serious. Besides, it had been a long couple of weeks and a lot had been going on.

"I guess." Sharon replied as she thought back to how she had also used her knowledge of Jack's personality and ego to get the witness to cooperate. "I guess I can manipulate situations just like anyone else."

Andy shook his head, "Ah don't say it like that. You work within the rules to represent the victims, the innocents. You do your best, and it keeps everyone else doing their best as well. It is definitely something we have all noticed and come to respect."

She hummed and tried to smile, "Well, at least I have a few allies then."

"More than a few," Andy pursed his lips; thinking about the odd mood the Captain was in this evening. She sounded a bit down, as to be expected, but what he had not expected were the lighthearted moments of banter. He really did not know what he had expected when he found himself dialing her number. When the silence continued on the other line he changed the subject back to the present, "So, I mean I was leaving my meeting and I guess I was just calling to check in? I mean the whole Jack situation and all, but..."

Sharon hummed, "Yes, I guess you could call it that, a situation. But it's over. The situation has tucked tail and run, again." On his side of the line Andy drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel, not knowing what else to say. "It seems _everyone_ knew this was going to be the case... But if for some reason this particular situation arises again it would be really nice if everyone else stayed out of it and trusted me to handle my own life. To fight my _own_ battles."

"Noted," Andy repeated her earlier sentiment.

"Good," she reasoned taking another sip of wine. "I'm glad you didn't run into anything too tumultuous in that parking lot, but I think I am going to let you go now. It's getting late, and like you said it has been a long couple of weeks."

"Yes, nothing too tumultuous," he repeated mocking her word choice. "Both windshield wipers still securely on the car," Andy joked. "And my leather jacket seems to be undamaged."

"Well, thank God for that," she smiled. "Drive safely, Lieutenant."

"Will do, Captain." Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the box of doughnuts and remembered another reason his mind had wandered to Jack after leaving the meeting, "Oh, and there will be doughnuts in the break room tomorrow."

Sharon rolled her eyes at that remark. "You do know that is just a Hollywood gimmick, right? Police officers and doughnuts? We do not have to eat doughnuts just because we are the police."

"I eat them because they're tasty," Andy clarified. "It is a coincidence that I also happen to be an officer. I just thought that after all of the doughnut talk during the interview today I would not be the only one craving one, and there were extras." Sharon sighed into the phone without another word on the subject. Before he ended the call he dropped his voice, "Um, Sh-Sharon? I know you have friends, we have known each other for a long time, and we already work together, but if you ever need someone to bounce some ideas around with? Or if you ever need any help with anything...?"

As Andy's voice trailed Sharon considered his words. "Well, thank you, Andy." She paused smirking into the receiver as she decided to lighten the mood once again, "We have known each other for quite some time. That does not necessarily mean we have to be more than work friends, or friendly coworkers though... but maybe, maybe we could be friend-friends. I will have to think about it and get back to you though."

Andy simply chuckled at her response, "Okay, sounds like a plan. Don't rush the decision or anything though. You will have to be absolutely certain on this. It is a big step, being friends with someone like me. Could definitely ruin your reputation around the building. So, don't worry, take your time, I'll wait." With that he pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed _end call_ with his thumb. He smiled to himself as he turned down his street, genuinely enjoying the changing nature of their possible friendship.

Sharon smiled to herself as he ended the call. When she went to place the phone back on the table she heard someone behind her and turned to see Rusty standing just behind the door. She took a step and opened the door a little wider, "Rusty, I'm sorry did I wake you?"

"No, sorry," he shuffled his feet and joined her on the patio. "No, I was just, um, like checking in? I guess. Everything okay out here?"

Sharon smiled gently at the boy she thought of as her son, "Yes Rusty. Thank you. Everything is just fine, nothing for you to worry about. I'll be back inside in a moment and will lock up."

"Okay, well, good then." He lifted his hand in a small wave, "Good night, Sharon."

"Good night, Rusty."

Rusty turned and walked back into the apartment. He had seen the letter on the table and the empty couch when he had arrived home that evening. He knew Jack had left. In his experiences with his biological mother it had always been best to leave her alone when a man left her. Even though Sharon was not like his mom he still had been cautious in how to proceed this evening. He had heard Sharon checking on him when she got home, but he had wanted to give her some space. After sitting alone in his room for a while he had decided to check on her. He found her on the balcony giggling on the phone and could not help but listen in for while. She was definitely different than his biological mother, and she also apparently had a friend or two out there for her when she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you all for sticking with this story, if you want you can send me a message here, or over on twitter (girlgonewandern). Also, a big thank you again to welschwitch for the prompt idea... it has helped to keep my mind from going too dark during this difficult week in the real world. Even if I am not exactly sure this story is something that I even make sense with any of this. I am a little further out of my comfort zone when it comes to this type of story, so hopefully it was not too awful. Disclaimer: As always, the mistakes are definitely mine, but the characters are not.


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